Got a new toy for my Jeep and planes

[Jessie The Jeep]

I collected my new custom made flatbed trailer today. The chassis/flat bed part is only stage 1. Stage 2 is a 12 x 6 x 3ft box which will bolt onto the trailer top rail, for transporting my R/C planes. Lowering legs on the box will allow the chassis to roll out from under it.

 

My old trailer was just a box for transporting the planes, built on an old caravan chassis. I didn't have the space for a second trailer to carry the jeep, hence the new multi-role combat trailer!

 

It will be towed screen and hood down and end up no more than 5 ft high in this state.

 

Steve

[berni]

it looks nice & shiney, the best bit is going to a show at 70 mph instead of 35.

happy towing

berni

[ArtistsRifles]

Naughty Berni - speed limit for towing is 60 mph - you'll get poor old Steve into trouble with the boys in blue!!!

[Jessie The Jeep]

I hope to go a bit further afield now. My normal jeep radius driving is about 50 miles and once a year using the A-frame to Suffolk ( about 300 miles ). Now perhaps I can get to some more southern shows.

 

For those with big trucks, what is your maximum driving radius for a one day event and for a weekend event?

 

Steve

 

PS I knew the towing limit is 60mph ( 50mph on single carrageway ), and you aren't allowed in the third lane of a motorway.

[Mark]

For a one day event I will drive 50-60 miles, if it is a weekend then I will probably drive upto 250, and for that it,s got to be a good show

[ArtistsRifles]

For little Maud - we're talking a maximum range of 50- 60 miles be it for a day or a weekend.

W&P was 42 miles door to door and that was on the safe side of comfortable. When we brought her home from East Sussex we did a tad over 80 miles and that was DEFINITELY on the unsafe side of comfortable as we needed a couple of unwinding stops - both for the transmission AND the drivers/commanders limbs!!

[ashley]

Looks very nice Steve 8-) and i know these are not cheap :schocked:

 

Hopefully we will see you at the W&P show next year ??

 

Ashley

[rapier rob]

Can't understand why people put motors on trailers, and it seems to always be Jeeps.

Are they that unreliable :-D

 

We recently took a green goddess, Berliet, M.A.N. Austin K9 and my Rapier to Dorset and back, thats a 500 kilometer round trip.

 

Admitedly the berliet only made it halfway before being towed, french clutches! :roll:

 

I thought the whole point of having a motor was to drive it :?

[Jessie The Jeep]

Because living in the North of England, driving to a show in Kent for example would take more days holiday than I or my wife can afford.

 

Other than long distance shows, I probably drive my jeep more than most others, using it almost daily, and clocking up several thousand miles per year.

 

When you drive your vehicle to a show in Newcastle or Durham, we can meet and maybe you can explain how you can afford the time and fuel to make a 600 to 700 mile round trip?

 

Doesn't it seem obvious why people would use a trailer?

 

Steve

[rapier rob]

600 - 700 mile round trip is easy, I've got a nice big LPG tank in the back of the wagon.

As for the time, I book some leave from work like everyone else does.

 

I'm not knocking what you do, its your toy and you use it how you feel fit, my opinion is just that they were made to be driven, not towed.

 

I used to visit me auntie in south shields, a nice drive, but since she shuffled on I haven't been back, so no I won't be doing shows in newcastle.

If i can't have her cooking its not worth going.

 

 

 

[Jessie The Jeep]

600 - 700 mile round trip is easy.....

 

 

 

You drive a Landrover yes? I could do 700 miles easily in a modern vehicle that will do 70mph, in the warmth, out of the wind, that has a large cargo space.

 

Try cutting to top off, drive at 45 mph ( because you don't want to overstrain the 60 year old engine on a long journey ), take along a weeks camping gear, a weeks clothing for two people, fridge, chairs, food, stove, gas, computer, camera, a couple of books for the Mrs to read...... and you will soon find that it isn't so practical in a jeep.

 

You might ask why we need all of that? We took the jeep, all of the above and more to the Cotswolds on holiday with us this year, just so we could go out and tour in the jeep. We drove the jeep 300 miles during the week touring the sites, so yes, we do use it to drive, but if we hadn't been able to tow it, we couldn't have gone on holiday with it and used it for fun, which is the reason it was purchased.

 

Short distances are no problem in a jeep. I did a 110 mile road run on Sunday just gone, but it took 4 hours on the route we took. At that rate, War and Peace would take me approximately 16 hours solid motorway driving and cost a minumum of £120 in petrol. Of course, I wouldn't be driving at 45mph on a motorway, so that limits me to 'A' roads, which will also dramatically increase journey time. If I tow there, I could probably do it in less that 8 hours and for at least half the price. Of course, why waste a holiday sitting on a road for hours/days on end just getting to a location, when you can get there quickly, and then explore different places with the time saved?

 

As for booking time off work, my wife is the office manager in a small financial services company. When she is off, there is nobody who can take over her job so she usually has to work overtime before and after a holiday, just so her work doesn't pile up ( assuming there are cases that can be left unattended for a week ). Her holidays are limited as to when she can take them and must be arranged around the holidays of the management. It isn't as easy as just booking time off.

 

As with all things, it isn't so black and white as you try to make it appear. Driving a 'modern' vehicle at modern road speeds is a world away from Jeep driving. What's that saying about walking a mile in another mans shoes? or should it be driving 100mls, in another mans seat??

 

Steve

[rapier rob]

I think we will call an end to this episode, as I've said, i'm not knocking what you do.

Its your toy.

 

Actually I have driven a jeep, but prefer british motors.

I was born in 61 so post war is my preference.

 

My old 109 was probably just as comfortable as your jeep, and enjoyed the same performance :-D

[ashley]

Hi all,

this debate has been discussed be for :box like Steve i also have a trailer to tow the jeep on, but so far this year i have only used it twice once for Beltring it may be only 130 odd miles but as i travel alone, by jeep up to 5 hours on the road and by trailer 2 - 3 hours, bit of a sh*t having to pay £30 to park the car in a field though :-(

.

The second occasion was a fairly local show, but on the trailer wife daughter + friend arrive comfortable and can spend maximum time at the show :banana: :yay!: :tup:

and ££££`s saved on fuel.

 

Each to his own in enjoying the hobby.

 

Ashley

[AndyB]

The jeep is great to drive around the local area but there have been many occasions when getting from A to B consists of a 150 - 200 mile round trip sat on the A1. So the use of a trailer is the most practical and sensible way of getting to a show in comfort. I also drive to Beltring a distance of 350+ each way and vow on my return not to do it again (until next year) going to Ursel in Belgium costs about the same and that includes the ferry but a lot less road miles.